The Phillips Covered Bridge is southeast of
Montezuma, Indiana
Montezuma is a town in Reserve Township, Parke County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,022 at the 2010 census. It is located approximately 66 miles west of Indianapolis
History
Montezuma was laid out in about 1824. The town wa ...
in
Parke County, Indiana
Parke County lies in the western part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Wabash River. The county was formed in 1821 out of a portion of Vigo County. According to the 2010 census, the population was 17,339, an increase of 0.6% from 17,241 ...
and crosses Rocky Run, also known as Big Pond Creek. Unlike the rest of the
bridges of Parke County, it is a single span
King Post
A king post (or king-post or kingpost) is a central vertical post used in architectural or bridge designs, working in tension to support a beam below from a truss apex above (whereas a crown post, though visually similar, supports items above fro ...
bridge structure, having no arches, that was built by Joseph A. Britton in 1909.
[ ''Note:'' This includes an]
Site map
It was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1978.
History
The Phillips Covered Bridge is often known as the Arabia Covered Bridge because the surrounding area was known as "Little Arabia." This name may of came from the Syrian Muslims immigrants that had settled nearby or maybe as a term of derision for the residents of the area who were thought of as little more than cattle thieves. The Arabia Church had been built on the hill south of the covered bridge. The only remains of the church now though are a step, foundation and some broken stained glass. However, the church's cemetery, Arabia Cemetery, remains and many of the headstones are inscribed with the "Phillips" name showing that the Phillips family had been prominent to the area near the bridge. The 1908 Parke County Atlas shows that the Phillips owned all the land west and south of the bridge.
The bridge also holds the distinction of not only being the shortest covered bridge in Parke County but also the only bridge left that is not of Burr Arch construction, it is a four-segment Kings Post truss bridge. It took these honors in 1957 when its sister bridge, the
Weisner Covered Bridge, was washed out. The Weisner Covered Bridge had been built the year before the Phillips Covered Bridge by J.A. Britton also using a four-segment Kings Post truss but was shorter than the Phillips Bridge.
Gallery
Image:Phillips Covered Bridge interior.JPG, View of the King Post construction with addition bracing added to lengthen the span
See also
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List of Registered Historic Places in Indiana
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This is a list of properties and districts in Indiana that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are over 1,900 in total. Of these, 39 are National Historic Landmarks. Each of Indiana's 92 counties has at least ...
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Parke County Covered Bridges The covered bridges of Parke County are well-known tourist attractions in Parke County, Indiana, United States, which touts itself as the "Covered Bridge Capital of the World". The county claims to have more covered bridges than any other county in ...
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Parke County Covered Bridge Festival
The Parke County Covered Bridge Festival is a fall festival which takes place in nine communities in Parke County, Indiana, United States. It celebrates the county's 31 covered bridges, and is attended by more than 2 million people each year. It b ...
References
{{NRHP bridges
Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Parke County, Indiana
Bridges completed in 1909
Wooden bridges in Indiana
1909 establishments in Indiana